The wildfires in Los Angeles have left 16 dead, with over 100,000 residents still under evacuation orders as firefighters battle the blazes.
Los Angeles: The wildfires are wreaking havoc, with at least 16 lives lost so far. Sadly, that number might go up as the situation unfolds. The Eaton Fire near Pasadena has been particularly deadly, claiming 11 lives, while the Palisades Fire has taken five.
Two other fires, the Hurst and Kenneth Fires, are mostly under control now. The Kenneth Fire is fully contained after burning 1,000 acres, and the Hurst Fire is 87% contained after scorching about 800 acres.
Firefighters are still battling the Eaton and Palisades Fires, which are the biggest threats. The Palisades Fire has burned 23,000 acres and is only 11% contained, while the Eaton Fire has charred 14,000 acres and is 27% contained.
There was a brief break in the winds that helped firefighters, but the National Weather Service warns that strong winds could return soon. The fires started on January 7, fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, and those winds might pick up again by Monday.
Currently, around 105,000 residents in Southern California are under evacuation orders, down from 180,000 as some areas have seen partial containment. The fires have already destroyed over 12,000 structures, and the damage could exceed $100 billion, making this one of the costliest disasters in U.S. history.
Officials are advising people not to rush back home even after the fires are out, as the ash could contain harmful materials. Firefighter Chris Thomas cautioned that breathing in that stuff can be dangerous.
